Oats for Weight Loss: Benefits and When to eat

Introduction

• The nutritional profile of oats

• 8 health Benefits of Oats

• Oats for weight loss

• Best Oats for weight loss

• Oats recipe for weight loss

• Interactions

• When to eat oats during a diet?

• Take-Home Points

• FAQ on Oats for Weight Loss

Introduction

Oats are one of the oldest known nutritious grains. No wonder it is the 6 most produced grain in the world, after corn, wheat, barley, sorghum, and millet. Oats’ bioactive component promotes the microbial gut and immunity.

Oats are high in protein, and oil when compared with wheat it has 1/3 more protein, 4 times fat, and less starch.

The nutritional profile of oats

8 health Benefits of Oats

A healthy life is a happy life, where exercise and diet are a must. Let’s enhance your diet nutrition value with oats! Fibrous food and whole grain play a key role in your diet, and that can be fulfilled by oats.

1. lowers cholesterol levels

One of the major concerns with heat diseases is cholesterol. As per 1 , oat consumption reduces total cholesterol by 5% and LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) by 10% from baseline levels.

2. Anti-diabetic action

A study conducted in 2015 concludes that oatmeal significantly reduces acute postprandial insulin levels in diabetes type 2 patients.

3. Suppresses appetite

Oatmeal is high in fiber and protein and significantly low in sugar. It improves appetite control and increases (feeling of fullness after eating).

This action of oatmeal implies the viscosity and hydration properties of beta-glucan.

4. Oats help in weight loss

A study conducted on 34 volunteers concludes that oats reduce obesity, and abdominal fat and improve lipid profile levels. It also significantly improves liver function.

5. Enhances gut health

Prebiotics are essential for our gut health. 1 concludes that oat shows great prebiotic activity and this action is linked with its cholesterol-lowering action.

6. Safe for celiac patients

Oats for celiac disease is never beneficial food, but as the diet is concerned, oat is acceptable as a diet food for celiac patients.

7. Helps to nourish the skin

Oat is one of the major components in skin care products, as oat is FDA approved for the skin benefits, where it helps to treat eczema symptoms, and acne, and nourish dry skin.

The FDA-approved oat here is different from the one which is consumed as a food.  

8. Anticancer effect

The fatty acids found in dietary fibers are linked with anticancer action. These acids help to retard the growth of cancerous cells.        

Celiac disease, a genetic disease that is one of the major concerns with diets and oat food products, is commonly known as gluten intolerance disease.

Celiac patients can’t eat wheat, barley, rye, and similar kinds of food with gluten. Their entire treatment is based on a gluten-free diet only!  

Oats for weight loss

The oats are a rich source of beta-glucan which has a potent metabolic regulation and liver-protecting action.

Oatmeal helps in the reduction of body weight and fat where it significantly reduces serum glucose and free fatty acid levels.

Studies show that the intake of dietary fiber and whole grains mediate body weight loss.

A right diet with oats having a higher concentration of Beta-glucan regulates the insulin level that helps to monitor the blood glucose concentration.

(Insulin is a hormone that maintains blood glucose levels, disturbing actions of insulin leads to diabetes).

It gives a sense of satiety and reduces hunger. Because of the high viscous component of oats, it delays gastric emptying time which inhibits food intake.

Best Oats for weight loss

1. Oat groats

•  The raw form of oats

•  Easy to digest

• Nutty and chewy in taste.

2. Irish oat/steel-cut oats

•  Easy to cook

• They absorb less water 

• Good for oat cookies/protein bars.

3. Rolled oats

• The most common oat type( flattered with rollers).

• good fruit crisps/granola bars like banana oat pancakes

4. Instant oats

• Ready-to-eat packet oats

• They have added flavors and sweeteners.

5. Quick-cooking oats

• Processed old-fashioned oats

• Faster in cooking

• Give the creamiest oatmeal 

• Add texture to your cookies

Oats recipe for weight loss

These recipes are easy, quick yet tasty at the same time!

1. Oats upma

similar to south Indian Rava upma. The key factor here is you can use any type of oats.

Regular rolled oats are the best choice here, you can use instant or quick-cook oats.

Ingredients: oats, vegetables you want to add.

Process

1. Dry roast your oats until they get crisp.

2. Heat 1-half tablespoons of oil in a pan, add mustard and cumin seeds and add chana dal and urad dal for crunch.

3. Add 2 tablespoons of peanut or cashew and fry them until they turn golden. Now, as chopped ginger and curry leaves.

4. Add finely chopped garlic, tomato, vegetables, and some water.  Cook for 3 minutes on low flame.

5. Add more water for oats, add oats, mix well, and cook for the next 2 minutes, drizzle some lemon juice and enjoy!

2. Oat egg omelet

Ingredients: oil, salt to taste,2 eggs, turmeric, pepper, 1 onion, capsicum, tomato, green chilies, cilantro, carrot, and vegetables as you like.

Process:

1. In a bowl add oats flour, all spices, and oregano if you want. (Oat flour process: one-fourth cup of oats and fine flour mix in the n mixer).

2. Add milk and eggs to flour and make a better, heat the pan with oil. Pour the mixture, and add all the vegetables on top. Mix well.

3. When the base is firm, flip it gently and cook for 2 min on low flame, enjoy with a side of green chutney.

3. Overnight oats or oat pudding

This is a wholesome dish for those who do not get much time to make their healthy breakfast.

Ingredients: milk, oats, nuts, seeds, chocolate, almonds, and all the fruits you want to enjoy you can add here.

Process:

1. Soak your oats in milk overnight in the fridge. Use a jar for convenience.

2. Add your toppings in the morning or overnight to get the chilling effect. It takes hardly 5 minutes to make it since there is no cooking involved.

4. vegetable oat porridge

This is a great alternative to sweet porridge. You can add veggies of your choice here.

Ingredients: carrots, potatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, feel free to add your favorite vegetables.

Process:

1. Wash and chop all your veggies. Dry roast the oats in a pan for 2 to 4 minutes.

2. Now all your veggies, pour the required water and cook till you get a soft texture.

3. Serve it in a bowl and enjoy.

5. Oats Bisi bele bath recipe (hot lentil rice dish): spicy tangy meal

Ingredients: lentils, rice, vegetables, spices, cashew, curry leaves, salt, oil, tamarind, jaggery, carrots, peas, beans, bell pepper.

Process:

1. Cook your rice, and dal together first.

2. Now make the Bisi bele powder, here dry roast chana dal, urad dal, and red chilies. Soak some tamarind in Half a cup of warm water. 

3. Add coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, and clove dry roast them and grind them after it cools.

4. Now collect the tamarind water, and mix jaggery, and salt altogether.

5. Now mix the above Bisi bele masala powder with this tamarind mixture.

6. Mash the rice, and dal mixture well.

7. Bisi bele bath: add a tsp of oil to the pan, then add onion, carrots, beans, and capsicum and mix them on high flame. Add 1 cup of water, cook for 2 minutes then add tamarind mixture here, cook till you get a 1 boil, now add rice dal mixture.

8. Add a tadka of curry leaves and cashew if you want an extra crunch. Serve hot.

Interactions

• If you are a diabetes patient, you need to avoid oats, medication +oats leads to a severe decline in insulin levels. 

• If you have any gastrointestinal disease you should avoid oats, as they will extend digestion time.

• You might feel bloated and gas initially, but eat small portions that your body will get used to with oats.

When to eat oats during a diet?

Eating an oats bowl for breakfast is the kickstart of your day.

Though it is a typical breakfast meal. You can eat for your lunch and dinner with the simpler dish, or just an oats bowl without extra addition to it, as it takes time to digest. It will be a heavy meal for dinner. 

Take-Home Points

• Oats have enormous health benefits, such as hypercholesterolemia, weight loss, and anti-cancer. Recently it has been considered as a diet component for celiac patients.

• A right diet with oats having a higher concentration of Beta-glucan regulates the insulin level that helps to monitor the blood glucose concentration.

• If you are a diabetic, consult a physician for an oats diet.

• Though it is a typical breakfast meal. You can eat for your lunch and dinner the simpler dish.